The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-23
QUEER STORIES IN COURTS.
The "Reminiscences of an Old-Time
Country awyer in the South.

| IQ6 h6IQlQlBC6DCSS Vi OH Oto iAhAC
Country 4awyer in the South
| From the Ne,D Orleans Picdyu1te.
remember very well the first case had to
| defend My client had tuck hog" My
father left me to make my own beginning, and
! to wrestle with justice alone. 1 said: Jim,
when you are called, plead not guilty, and ask
for trial by jury"
| Yes sab" said Jim.
| When Jim was called he stood up, and the
ment, ending, contrary to the form and stat
ute, and asked; Whereof are you guilty or
not guilty"
"Sahy' said Jim.
Read it over" said the Judge and over
| again it was accordingly read, and to the same
concluding interrogation Jim again responded,
''sah?"
''See here, you" said the Judge, ''he is asking
| you if you took that hog or not"
And to my horror, Jim scratched his head
and with confdng smile, said: Yes, sab,
Jedge tuck de hog" and so ended my first
lesson.
once had a suit before a dignifed country
| Justice for the price of horse which was
sequestered. The defendant was negro wonl-
! an, who set up that the purchaser had paid her
the horse for work. This being so, my client
would lose his privileges as vender. She took the
stand and swore out her case. The matter was
desperate However, would try.
Susan, when your uncle paid for this horse
did he put the bride into your handsg"
Sab, he did"
Did he say: MY niece, eternaly give you
old BLY,
Denis de very words, sah."
But Susan, didn't your uncle forget then to
put blue ribbon on the bridle?'
Indeed he didn't sab. Use cot dat ribbon
now"
Much to Susan's surprise the Justice brand
| ished his stick and made her get out
Once during trial Judge RI looked up
! suddenly and said to the Sheriff: "Mr. D -,
| there are thirteen men on that jury"
Mr.. -, after counting with his finger, cor
roborated the Judge. The clerk was ordered to
call the jury. He did So and there were but
| Clerk held conference, the result of which was
that the jurors stood up in answer to their
| names Presently two individuals arose to-
| gether-one white, the other a negro The
| former had his summons juror; the latter
| had been subpnnaed as a witness
! Come here, said the Judge, and show me
| your subpoena"
Sam advanced close up to his honor and stuck
laugh subsidized the Judge said. kindly: sam,
| you need calomel and OF course can't stay on
| the jury
| Sam was nonplusseG at another explosion
| from the audience.
| On another occasion was defending negro
| for serious offense. The Jury was composed
| entirely of negroes. After the argument closed
| the court adjourned for dinner AS the jury
| filed into the court room after dinner for in
| structionS, looking at the complexion of the
| twelve, and in the presence of the Sheriff and
| clerk | SAID joeularly 20 a negro man. a brother
of the accused, standing by: There's good
/ crowd for two bits apiece"
Imagine my feelings when he replied, quite
| innocently: 'Oh, dun gin EN- dollar round,
| 'ceptiug that yaler rascal; he wants five."
| %When took him aside and informed him of
| the possible consequences of his iberality he
| FASTENED to depart. The ''yaller rascal, ." sure
| enough, showed his resentment and hung the
| jury; but only for awhile, the dollar round"
| told at last.